Climate Change Data

Equinix, Inc.

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2023)

Reporting Period: 2023

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:2,844,300 mtCO2e (Scope 1+2 market-based)
Scope 1 Emissions:29,000 mtCO2e
Scope 2 Emissions:234,100 mtCO2e (market-based)
Scope 3 Emissions:1,249,000 mtCO2e
Renewable Energy Share:96%
Total Energy Consumption:8,170 GWh
Water Consumption:1.07 (Annual Average WUE)
Carbon Intensity:322 mtCO2e/million USD (location-based)

ESG Focus Areas

  • Climate Change
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Global Responsibility
  • Health & Wellness
  • Ethics & Compliance
  • Supply Chain Sustainability
  • Digital Inclusion

Environmental Achievements

  • 23% absolute reduction in operational GHG emissions from a 2019 baseline (Scope 1 and Scope 2 market-based mtCO2e), even with a 36% increase in energy consumption.
  • Maintained 96% renewable energy coverage across the portfolio for the sixth consecutive year.
  • 8.8% improvement in Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) compared to 2022.
  • Executed 21 Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), generating over 3,000,000 MWh of clean energy.

Social Achievements

  • 6% increase in historically marginalized talent in the U.S. workforce (2023 vs 2022).
  • 11% increase in employee volunteering year-over-year.
  • Employee satisfaction scores remained steady between 83-84 out of 100 each quarter (average 83).
  • $1.9M in employee donations, corporate matching, and community-based donations.

Governance Achievements

  • 100% employee completion of Ethics and Compliance trainings.
  • Third consecutive year as CDP Supplier Engagement Leader.
  • Established Equinix Shared Responsibility Model dividing privacy responsibilities between customers and Equinix.
  • Tied short-term incentive performance metrics for VP-level and above to environmental and social progress.

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Climate neutral across global operations by 2030
Medium-term Goals:
  • 100% renewable energy coverage by 2030
Short-term Goals:
  • Not disclosed

Environmental Challenges

  • Increased costs to procure power due to inflation and global energy market volatility.
  • Supply chain disruptions and inflation impacting construction projects.
  • Permitting delays in most metros due to labor availability.
  • Cybersecurity threats and potential breaches.
  • Maintaining REIT qualification for US federal income tax purposes.
Mitigation Strategies
  • Hedging, conservation, and other energy efficiency measures.
  • Creating a reserve of materials to mitigate supply chain issues and inflation.
  • Robust cybersecurity program, including regular employee training and incident simulations.
  • Use of TRSs and QRSs to segregate income and maintain REIT qualification.
  • Continuous monitoring of REIT compliance.

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: 16 Supply Chain Facing Human Rights Impact Assessment

Responsible Procurement
  • Supplier-set science-based targets

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Severe weather events (droughts, wildfires, flooding, etc.)
  • Power supply disruptions
Transition Risks
  • Regulatory changes
  • Increased electricity costs
Opportunities
  • Development of energy-efficient products and services

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD, A4S

Certifications: ISO 14001:2015, ISO 50001:2011, LEED, USGBC Gold Member, ISO 27001

Third-party Assurance: PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
  • Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure)
  • Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)
  • Goal 13 (Climate Action)
  • Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

Equinix's initiatives contribute to these goals through renewable energy procurement, sustainable data center design, community engagement, and partnerships.

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • xScale data centers

Awards & Recognition

  • CDP’s Climate Change “A” List
  • Just Capital’s 2024 Rankings (#1 in Real Estate)
  • NAREIT Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Silver Award